Evening dress

Calvin Klein|Calvin Klein

fall/winter 2002–3 · silk · Costume Institute

This evening dress with faceted cut-outs in the front is an exemplary case of Calvin Klein's sensual yet minimalist aesthetic. The sleek and sensual aesthetic was an early twentieth century evolution of the more pared down minimalism of the previous decade. The austerity of the long black silhouette with covered arms and legs stands in opposition to the slices of bared abdomen and rippling fabric across the chest, which respond to the wearer's movement. As an example of the late period of the career of one of America's most iconic fashion designers, this dress dating from the beginning of the twenty-first century bridges the origins of the fashion house, founded in 1968, with the era of new designers taking up its legacy in the twenty-first century.

Artist

Calvin Klein|Calvin Klein

Date

fall/winter 2002–3

Medium

silk

Culture

American

Department

Costume Institute

Credit line

Gift of Evee Georgiadis, in memory of Irene Moscahlaidis, 2018